Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Coffee Granita

Well, it's time for the "Chilled Out" round up here at 28 Cooks. I was really happy to get some very different recipes submitted from some very good food blogs. But before I get into their amazing treats, here's my own submission.

I'm a huge fan of coffee. It's very rare that I start off a day without it, and a trip to get an iced coffee in the middle of a summer day does wonders for my mood. In light of all of that, it was only natural that I incorporate coffee into some type of frozen treat. And let me tell you - I think I have a winner here. This coffee granita is perfect by itself, or if you like it a bit sweeter and creamier, top it off with a touch of sweetened condensed milk, as pictured below.

Although granitas get a bad rap for being a bit time consuming to make (you have to stir it every 30 minutes for a few hours) it actually ended up being fairly easy for me. After the first 2 initial stirs, I ended up leaving the house, completely forgetting the granita in the freezer. The next morning, I simply pulled it out, set it on the kitchen counter, and let it thaw for about 30 minutes. At that point, I just stirred it with a fork and it came out perfectly. It will then store in the freezer for weeks and maintain its crumbly texture. That also makes it perfect to have on hand to serve to unexpected guests on a hot summer day.

Coffee Granita1/2 c sugar3 cups strong coffee or espresso

In large container, combine sugar and coffee. Cool to room temperature. Place into deep dish, cover with foil, and place into freezer. Check it in an hour, and break up any large chunks of ice. Place back in freezer and stir with a fork, every 30 minutes, until granita has an even texture (This should take about 2-3 hours) or use the method described above. Divide into dishes and top with sweetenend condensed milk if desired.

And now onto the round up.

You have to visit The Well Seasoned Cook to see a picture of Susan's Violet Granita. It's absolutely gorgeous and looks like it would be the perfect ending to a lovely outside meal.

I must admit my ignorance and say I didn't know what a quark was or what it could do until I received Ulrike's submission of Lemon Quark Ice Cream. Now I must positively get my hands on some to try.

I'm such a huge fan of all things green tea, so Ashley'sGreen Tea Ice Cream sounds absolutely amazing to me. I bet it would be amazing after a lovely Thai meal.

And finally we end up with something different - a well-detailed recipe from Where's the Revolution on how to make the perfect mojito. For those who have tons of mint growing in their backyard, this is the absolute perfect way to use it up.

Thanks for joining myself and the rest of these talented food bloggers on the "Chilled Out" round up!

6 comments:

Thanks for the great round-up, Fiber. I was tempted to make coffee granita, too, but the violet won out. I thought the granita was very easy, a no brainer. I'll be making your recipe this weekend. I love the condensed milk on top.